By-owner guide · Updated June 2026 · Educational only
Buying a boat from its owner cuts out the broker — there's no 10% commission baked into the price, and you deal straight with the person who actually knows the boat. This is the by-owner buyer's playbook: find it, check the price, inspect it, negotiate and pay safely.
1. Find boats for sale by owner
Skip the dealer lots and broker listings. Browse boats for sale by owner by make or your state — every listing is direct from the owner, with no commission in the price.
2. Check what it's really worth
Before you offer, see what comparable boats actually ask. Our free boat price research tool shows live by-owner low / median / high prices by make — so you negotiate from data, not a sticker.
3. Inspect, survey and sea-trial
View it in person and run the engine(s). On anything significant, pay an accredited marine surveyor for a survey and sea trial — a lender requires one on a financed boat, and on a cash buy it's cheap insurance against a hidden problem.
4. Negotiate directly
Owner-to-owner, there's no broker marking up the price or working both sides. Make a fair offer based on the comps and the survey, and put it in writing.
5. Pay safely and transfer title
Money and signed title should change hands together through a channel both sides verify — never wire a deposit to an unverified seller. Use the free purchase agreement and bill of sale, confirm clean title (or USCG documentation), and read our anti-fraud safety guide first. Buying a boat that's listed with a broker instead? See buying through a seller's broker.
Browse a specific make by owner
Browse boats in your state
Tools & next steps
FAQ
Can I buy a boat without a broker?
Yes. On YachtBazar every boat is listed by its owner — you deal direct, with no broker and no commission in the price.
How do I pay for a boat safely?
Exchange money and signed title at the same time through a channel both sides verify, and never wire a deposit to an unverified seller. Use our free bill of sale to paper it.
Should I get a survey on a used boat?
On anything significant, yes — an accredited marine surveyor and a sea trial are cheap insurance, and a lender will require a survey on a financed purchase.
List your boat or slip free on YachtBazar
By-owner only. No brokers, no commissions, no listing fee.